History Literature / SoledadORoarke

* IntangibleMan: On-and-off, fully voluntary, and can affect both objects and other people. Incidentally, that last part is ChekhovsGun.

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''SoledadORoarke'' is a duology of novels by Creator/JohnRidley following the adventures of the titular character. A black woman of Irish extraction, Soledad O'Roarke is part of a special task force which hunts down (and exterminates) superhumans. Soledad is not conflicted about this mission, she hates and despises them with every fiber of their being for the fact they failed to protect San Fransisco from a supervillain's weapon.

Literature/SoledadORoarke is a duology of novels by Creator/JohnRidley following the adventures of the titular character. A black woman of Irish descent, Soledad O'Roarke is part of a special task force which hunts down (and exterminates) superhumans. Soledad is not conflicted about this mission, she hates and despises them with every fiber of their being for the fact they failed to protect San Fransisco from a supervillain's weapon.

* GadgeteerGenius: Soledad customized an [[RareGuns O'Dwyer V[=L=]e]] to fire AbnormalAmmo she designs herself. Most shots target the AchillesHeel of a specific enemy type, though [[MadeOfExplodium Semtex bullets]] can be used against anything.

* AscendedExtra: Eddi Aoki, a colleague of Soledad's, originally notable for her TragicKeepsake of a ''[[KnifeNut hunting knife]]'' she plans to use to cut out a mutant's heart. In the sequel she takes on more of a prominent role, and eventually [[spoiler:[[TakeUpMySword becomes the main character after Soledad's death]]]].

* ContemptibleCover: The paperback editions.

* BrokenPedestal: As a child, Soledad idolized the superheroine Nubian Princess (best described as a black {{Expy}} of WonderWoman.)

* AnimatedAdaptation: There was a movie base don the first book where ''Music/LilKim'' voiced Soledad.

These books contain the following tropes:

* ContemptibleCover: the paperback editions.
* CoversAlwaysLie: a mild case, but one that appears on seemingly every edition of both books. Soledad repeatedly describes herself as a BAMF (Badass Mother-Fucker), and the covers show her as having those letters tattooed on her shoulder. In the story, her tattoo instead reads "[[StupidSacrifice We don't need another hero]]."

* HeelRealization: [[spoiler: Aoki has one in the second book when she realizes Soledad is a psychopath.]]
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: where to begin?

* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Regardless of how you interpret the first book, there is one. Either [[VillainProtagonist Soledad's]] unfettered FantasticRacism, or Vaughn's abusive mind control and vicious dislike of the mentally disabled Aubrey.
** Or both.

* SacrificialLamb: [[spoiler:Reese]].
* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler:Yarborough]].
* SociopathicHero: Soledad O'Roarke is gradually revealed to be this. She feels no guilt for murder, no ability to bond with other people save superficially, and only seems to feel happy when she's killing someone. May double over with PsychopathicManchild given her motivation for hunting superhumans is her perceived betrayal from her childhood idol.
* StockSuperpowers
** DishingOutDirt: Strictly speaking, this is the ability to communicate with the planet and talk it into shifting itself. Users of this ability are AlwaysLawfulGood, and tend to [[ActualPacifist hate fighting]]. [[KickTheDog Not that this stops MTac from killing them]] ...
** ExtraOreDinary: Almost a straight copy of ComicBook/{{Magneto}}, but can create {{Golem}}-like allies.
** EyeBeams: invisible eye beams, no less.
** HealingFactor
** IBelieveICanFly: Although it's stated that each mutant has only one power, flight seems to be an exception. Generally it's NotQuiteFlight, but there's been one WingedHumanoid (who also used WindsOfDestinyChange.)
** IntangibleMan: on-and-off, fully voluntary, and can affect both objects and other people. Incidentally, that last part is ChekhovsGun.
** NighInvulnerability: Well, it's an invulnerable exterior. These mutants can be killed either by poisoning them, or by overloading their pain nerves.
** PlayingWithFire: Some varieties can start fires, others can simply control them.
** ShockAndAwe: of the blast-from-the-hands variety. Can be stressed into a SuperpowerMeltdown.
** {{Sizeshifting}}: actually two abilities; shrinking and growing. The latter is self-explanatory. The former is only used once (to pass through an enemy's skin, then explode outwards.)
** SuperSpeed
** SuperStrength: though those who have it don't look it--they tend to be extremely "reedy" since they never get decent exercise. Prone to AceLightningSyndrome.
** {{Telepathy}}: this is what you get if you win the SuperpowerLottery, since you can also use PeoplePuppets. Virtually impossible to beat in a fair fight.
** UnstoppableRage: A power of its own, and quite effective.
** VoluntaryShapeshifting: virtually unlimited changes to shape and appearance, sometimes including a ShapeShifterWeapon, but no mass-changing abilities. Goes into a ShapeShifterSwanSong when electrocuted, but dying by any other means makes them look human again.

** Soledad frequently remarks in her monologue that people underestimate and patronize because she is a black female. There are some times she's correct and a few times where it feels like she's trying to convince herself that the world is out to get her.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic: Several Christian references that have yet to be explained.
** WordOfGod says they're to let you know the author is aware what awful people his protagonists are and who he's on the side of.

* CoversAlwaysLie: a mild case, but one that appears on seemingly every edition of both books. Soledad repeatedly describes herself as a BAMF (BadAss Mother-Fucker), and the covers show her as having those letters tattooed on her shoulder. In the story, her tattoo instead reads "[[StupidSacrifice We don't need another hero]]."

* ArcWords: "What bullet can kill a telepath?" The question was asked when Soledad created a customized pistol loaded with a variety of bullets for killing nearly any mutant, but didn't have an answer when asked about [[SuperpowerLottery the most dangerous freaks of all]]. [[spoiler: Turns out, plain old lead works just fine.]]

* NotQuiteDead: over and over, along with FakingTheDead. At least it subverts InstantDeathBullets ...

* BigotWithABadge: Most members of MTAC hate mutants for one reason or another. Soldedad is an outstanding case.

** ExtraOreDinary: Almost a straight copy of {{Magneto}}, but can create {{Golem}}-like allies.

Literature/SoledadORoarke is a duology of novels by Creator/JohnRidley following the adventures of the titular character. A black woman of Irish dissent, Soledad O'Roarke is part of a special task force which hunts down (and exterminates) superhumans. Soledad is not conflicted about this mission, she hates and despises them with every fiber of their being for the fact they failed to protect San Fransisco from a supervillain's weapon.

'''Those Who Walk in Darkness''' and its sequel '''What Fire Cannot Burn'''. Described as {{Superhero}} {{Deconstruction}}s in the manner of ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', they follow Soledad "Bullet" O'Rourke, a cop who specializes in [[CapeBusters hunting down]] {{mutants}} [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual and "freaks"]].